


gimme a chance (it's worth taking)

by sunset_phantom



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Drinking, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies with Benefits to Bandmates to Lovers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hooking Up To Avoid Talking, Julie isn't much better, Luke is honestly just a disaster, Pining, Sexual Content, Sunset Curve (Julie and The Phantoms), flirting through songs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:42:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29681352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunset_phantom/pseuds/sunset_phantom
Summary: Luke Patterson has always had a sixth sense for knowing when he was in the company of a fellow musician. It's how he found his bandmates, how he manages to make the right kind of industry connections, and how he knows from the moment he spots her at a Sunset Curve show that Julie is a musician. Except, she claims not to be, and instead of actually talking about it, he just keeps hooking up with her in the alleyway behind the bar he works at. Which would be fine and good, great even, if he didn't know with every part of him that she was lying about the musician thing. Oh, and also if he didn't go and fall in love with her.ormy take on the enemies-with-benefits to bandmates to lovers trope created by the incredible pearlcaddy
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Background Alex Mercer/Willie, Background Carrie Wilson/Flynn, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 39
Kudos: 176





	1. get in the action, feel the attraction

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Hundred Bad Days (Made a Hundred Good Stories)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27232234) by [pearlcaddy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pearlcaddy/pseuds/pearlcaddy). 



> Welp, I fell asleep listening to [this podfic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28549011) and then woke up in the middle of the night with an idea for a quick one-shot that somehow morphed into this multichap beast instead. Mostly I wanted to write something a bit more mature and angsty, but it kind of grew a mind of its own. Consider this my attempt at an enemies-with-benefits to bandmates to lovers fic with some angst and pining thrown in for good measure. 
> 
> Also, if you haven't read the fic this one was inspired by, please go do so. That fic lives in my mind rent free and I can only hope I've done this trope as much justice as pearlcaddy.
> 
> Rated M for language and sexual content (there's no smut but there are some heavily implied scenes/direct references and discussions of orgasms. you've been warned.)
> 
> Fic Title: Girl by Jukebox The Ghost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title: Man! I Feel Like A Woman! by Shania Twain

Luke Patterson prided himself on being the type of musician that was always aware of kindred souls. He had a sixth sense for knowing when he was in the presence of someone similar to himself, and he had worked hard over the years to hone it. It had served him well in life, helping him to form important industry connections as well as adopting various members into the band he had been perfecting since he was a preteen. There was only one time he had gotten it wrong, and really, Bobby _was_ an incredibly talented musician, just one with some seriously skewed priorities, so he didn’t count that as a total failure. His other bandmates, Alex and Reggie, had been absolute gems. He knew their band would go places, which was why he constantly kept his nose to the grindstone pushing them further and further on the slow climb to the top.

The other boys didn’t mind too much. Alex fondly referred to it as Luke’s one serious goal in life. He wasn’t wrong, so Luke took it more as a compliment than anything else. He knew at the end of the day that his bandmates had complete faith in his abilities to get them where he wanted them to go, musically speaking at least. It was why neither one of them had balked at Luke’s bold declaration that he was done with school when they graduated high school, just nodded and agreed that they also felt like their academic days were done. They hadn’t questioned it when he brought them a printed-out craigslist ad for a three-bedroom apartment in LA. Brothers through and through, they had signed their names on the dotted line and packed what they could into their band van before making the six-hour drive down from San Francisco.

Four years of blood, sweat, and tears later and they were finally making some headway, growing a small local following and occasionally getting called up to play as openers for larger touring bands when they were in town. Luke had taken a job as a bartender at a small bar called Ebbie’s that did open mic nights regularly, and they played there often enough that they were jokingly referred to as the house band. He played up the angle every chance he got, certain that eventually it would lure a manager or record exec to one of their shows. The owner didn’t mind, happy to let the Sunset Curve fans swarm the place on what had otherwise been mostly dead weekday evenings. In the last year he had segued their random appearances into a standing closing performance of four to five original songs every Saturday night with some occasional appearances for a cover or two on the other four nights they hosted the open mics. Luke didn’t even mind that they were starting to get more and more customers from the fancy music conservatory nearby. It was just more chances at meeting the right person to finally catapult them into superstardom.

In short, there wasn’t a single person in his life that wasn’t involved in music in some way or another. He had kind of made certain of it.

Which was why he knew, to the depths of his musician’s soul, that the girl standing at the back of the bar watching them preform was a musician, too. The way she studied them, the calculated look on her face as she took in their performance, told him that she had that certain _je ne sais quoi_. And yeah, he knew that sounded pretentious. Alex had told him as much the first time he tried to explain the whole sixth sense thing. But there were just people that had that vibe to them, and this girl was giving off vibes a mile wide.

It didn’t hurt that she was cute as fuck, curly hair spilling over her shoulders, warm brown skin on full display in her short blue dress. He put a little extra swagger into his playing, made sure to catch her eye when he swung his guitar around his shoulders during the bridge. He saw the way her expression changed to one of heated interest, lips parting slightly when he flexed his way through a complicated riff. He felt giddy at the prospect of a challenge.

This cute girl was most definitely a musician, and he was gonna flirt with her the second their set ended.

Ten minutes later, he was bumping fists with the boys, absolutely beaming at the cheering audience as he tried to catch his breath. Reggie leaned into the mic with a quick wink directed out at the crowd.

“Thank you, we’re Sunset Curve! Tell your friends!”

A few of their regular fans chimed in with Reggie from the crowd and Luke couldn’t help but laugh. Between the cute musician girl and the thrill of playing a near perfect set, he was flying high. Even having to end the set on a cover because of a lost bet didn’t get him down. The crowd started to break up a bit, drifting over to the bar for refills as the overhead sound system kicked back on. Luke pulled his guitar over his head, turning to rest it in the stand off to the side of Alex’s drum kit. They would break down the stage when the bar closed in an hour and they didn’t have to worry about carrying instruments through crowds of drunk 20-somethings.

Reggie had already hopped down, happy to accept the drinks being offered to him by the girls that always showed up just for him. Luke couldn’t help but grin as he watched the interaction, fully aware that Reggie would probably go home with one of them. He somehow managed to perfectly balance his fan interactions so that none of the girls, or guys, ever felt slighted or upset in the aftermath of what would only ever be a one-night stand. As Reggie put it, he had enough love to go around, and around, _and around_ without ever feeling the need to settle down. Luke knew he would one day, just like he knew Alex would already be slipping off into a quiet corner to call his boyfriend Willie, because unlike Reggie, he had quite literally been knocked off of his feet within their first week of moving to LA and Alex had _never_ done casual.

Which meant that Luke was alone on the stage when he turned back around, eyes scanning the back wall for the girl he had seen earlier. She wasn’t there anymore, and he started to frown before a small noise from the front of the stage caught his attention. He looked down, and there she was. Smiling shyly up at him, slender fingers fiddling with the tiny straw in her drink. He guessed by the color that she was drinking a Tequila Sunset, which was the drink he had made up that went on special when they played, a small twist on the Tequila Sunrise. Luke had always thought pineapple tasted better with tequila than orange juice.

“Hey.”

He smiled, dropping to sit on the edge of the stage so he wasn’t towering over her anymore. She took a tentative step forward, her own grin growing.

“Hey yourself. That was quite the show.”

She said it mildly, but that little _zing_ of awareness that always showed up when he was in the company of a fellow musician sparked to life inside of him. He leaned forward a little bit, close enough to see the sparkle in her brown eyes.

“Glad you liked it. I’m Luke.”

“Julie.”

Their hands met halfway, something warm rippling up his arm at the contact. He bit his lip to contain the smile growing, something that felt like pride swelling inside of him as he took in her pink cheeks.

“Nice to meet you, Julie. Is this your first Sunset Curve show?”

She rocked back a bit, pulling herself out of his bubble, and he had to stop himself from leaning closer so he didn’t fall flat on his face. A teasing glint shown in her eyes.

“ _Was_ this a Sunset Curve show? I was under the impression it was just an open mic night.”

He put a bit of a tease into his own voice.

“ _Technically,_ it’s an open mic night. But there’s a reason we always play last.”

He shrugged, as if it wasn’t up to him when really part of his growing responsibilities at the bar meant managing the open mic slots. But Julie didn’t know that. She laughed, and he found himself momentarily dazed by the sound, hypnotized by the sight of a small gap between her top teeth that made her all the cuter.

“Well, who am I to argue with that? Everyone knows headliners play last.”

Her straw slipped in-between her lips, drawing his attention. Luke’s hands flexed where they rested against the edge of the stage. This girl was way too pretty, and that musician sense was getting way too loud.

“You didn’t answer my question earlier.”

She hummed, eyeing him up and down like she was deciding whether or not he would get an answer. Something she saw must have encouraged her because she lowered the drink.

“Yes and no. Tonight’s the first time I’ve been here,” she gestured at the interior of the bar, “but I saw you guys play at MXFest a few months ago. You’re really good.”

Her compliment was sincere. Luke felt his ears grow hot. He hadn’t noticed her at MXFest. It shouldn’t bother him as much as it did. That festival had been in the middle of the summer, so hot he thought he might melt into the stage completely. It hadn’t been their best show. He told her as much. She laughed again, and this time he had to jump down from the stage just to get a little closer to her. She was tiny, the top of her head only came up to his shoulder and Luke wasn’t exactly a giant. He liked the way it felt to stare down at her, imagined how perfectly she would fit in against his chest.

“No one plays their best in 105° LA heat. It was still a killer show though. You guys have a great stage presence. And the harmonies in that one song?”

She hummed a few bars of _Now or Never_ , and Luke thought his heart might stop. His musician sense went absolutely crazy at the muffled sound of her voice and her ability to soften the notes of what was a pretty rock heavy song.

“Shoulda played that one tonight.”

Her giggle told him that thought had managed to escape his brain filter. The sound sent a quiver down his spine. Julie was getting more and more attractive the longer he spent in her presence.

“I liked your mix tonight. Never would have thought I’d hear Shania Twain done in a punk rock style.”

Luke cringed slightly, country had _never_ been his thing, but the tease playing at the edges of her smile pulled a grin out of him.

“You can thank Reggie, our bassist, for that one. Every time I lose a bet he makes me end our set with it.”

“Sounded a little too well rehearsed for me to believe you win a lot of bets.”

She wasn’t wrong. At this point, he could probably play _Man! I Feel Like A Woman!_ in his sleep. Luke stepped a bit closer to her, the heat from their bodies simmering in the small space between them.

“I’ve been known to get a little too confident. Our drummer calls it a character flaw, but what’s the point of doing anything if you aren’t gonna do it with your whole heart?”

His voice was a little flirtier than intended, but the words were a bit too close to home for him to say them as seriously as he meant them. Julie’s mouth dropped open just a bit, and he just barely caught the flush creeping up her cheeks in the low light. Her eyes flicked down to his lips before her pink tongue darted out to lick her own. Luke almost groaned. She was just as into this as he was. So of course, in true Luke fashion, he had to bulldoze right through the moment.

“Are you a musician?”

He didn’t miss the way her whole body stiffened as she took a step back, out of the bubble they had created for themselves. It was like a switch has been flipped and she suddenly wasn’t at all the same girl that approached the stage earlier. She had drawn some armor around herself, throwing a wall up between them.

“N-no. I just...like music.”

He didn’t know her. He really didn’t. But he knew immediately that she was lying. His sixth sense was screaming so loudly that he didn’t think she could be anything _but_ a musician. Even her denial didn’t sound genuine.

“Everyone likes music. Not everyone likes it the way a musician does though. I think you’re a musician.”

Her spine went ramrod straight, like she had steel lining her bones. All traces of flirting were gone from her face, but Luke wasn’t discouraged. He had a one-track mind, and that track was always _music, music, music._ He stepped close again, crowding her slightly.

“I saw you watching us tonight. You weren’t watching like someone who just likes music.”

“You don’t even know me.”

Truer words had never been spoken. Her voice was cold, and he missed the previous warmth so much he nearly shivered. He should have let her lie, but if there was one thing Luke couldn’t stand, it’s liars.

“I don’t have to know you. I’ve got this...thing. I know musicians and you are definitely a musician.”

He really needed to stop saying ‘musician’. Her eyes were blazing again, but this time it was with anger instead of attraction.

“You can take your _thing_ and shove it up your ass.”

He didn’t get a chance to respond before she whipped around on her heel and pushed her way through the crowd away from him. He regretted his actions immediately, trying to chase after her.

“Hey, wait! Julie!”

She was gone though, and Luke deflated instantly. Man, he really fucked that one up. And that sixth sense part of him, the one that collected kindred souls like shiny pennies, felt the loss keenly.

He slumped his way back to the stage. They still had another half an hour until the bar would close, but he didn’t really feel like mingling anymore. The high he had felt post-show had been wiped clean by Julie’s rejection. He wasted time organizing their instruments, getting everything ready to haul outside, until the boys reappeared.

Reggie was flushed in a way that left no question as to what he had been getting up to in the interim. Luke tried hard not to be jealous, but he had kind of hoped to be making out with Julie in a bar corner for the last hour himself. The bounce in the bassist’s step as he rushed to collect his gear told him his evening plans weren’t quite finished and the envy burned a bit deeper. Alex was just as distracted, fiddling with his chain and the silver ring on his fourth finger in a way that told Luke his phone conversation hadn’t been very PG-13. Luke huffed, annoyed that he was the only one that would be going home to a cold, empty bed that night. Reggie caught on to his pouting as soon as he slammed his way into the back alley where the band van was waiting.

“Dude, that’s like the tenth time you’ve sighed in the last five minutes. Why are you moping? That was a dope set, and even the Shaina Twain cover got the crowd going!”

Reggie wiggled his brows in a tease, and Luke couldn’t resist pulling him close for a noogie.

“You are a _menace._ I’m not betting with you anymore.”

Reggie laughed, the sound filled with sunshine and pride. Luke smiled in return, and then he remembered Julie teasing him about that exact song and the smile slipped away. Reggie groaned at the sight.

“Look, there you go again. What’s up? Talk to Daddy.”

Luke pulled a face, shoving away from the other boy.

“ _Do not_ call yourself Daddy.”

Alex’s voice overlapped with his in perfect synchronicity. They high-fived without looking at one another, and then Alex turned on him as well, smirking.

“I know why he’s pouting.”

Alex’s tone was entirely too smug. Luke sneered at him, certain his interaction with Julie had gone unnoticed. The blonde only raised a brow before speaking again.

“It’s cause he got rejected.”

“I didn’t get rejected!”

Luke didn’t realize that he had given himself away completely with that line until Reggie was doubled over with laughter. He felt his cheeks warm, arms crossing in front of himself involuntarily. Alex smirked again, this time with pride. Reggie caught his breath, pretending to wipe tears away from his eyes as he stood again.

“Awh, Luke! What did you do this time?”

“What makes you think _I_ did anything?!”

Both boys stared at him and yeah, okay, they kind of had a point. Luke wasn’t exactly known for his ability to seal the deal. He was kind of known for the opposite, actually. Which made the whole Julie thing that much more disappointing. She had been _into him_ damnit! And not just the superficial into him where she thought he was hot because he was in a band but then pulled away when she realized that was basically his entire personality. In fact, she had seemed more into him because of his music. Like she had also felt that tug in her soul, like she had also known on some level that they were similar spirits.

“I didn’t _do_ anything,” he insisted, again. “I just asked if she was a musician and then she got all weird and ghosted.”

Reggie groaned, falling into Alex’s side as the blonde smacked a hand over his face.

“You brought up the sixth sense thing again, didn’t you?”

Alex’s voice was flat, Reggie still groaning into his shoulder. Luke shifted uncomfortably. Apparently that was all the answer that Alex needed.

“Luke! You cannot just _make_ people into musicians because you feel a ‘vibe’.”

Okay, yes, but also, no. Alex and Reggie didn’t get it. It wasn’t just a vibe; it was like a living breathing part of his soul reaching out to another’s.

“I’m not _making_ anyone into anything! Look, I’ve been right about literally everyone I’ve ever thought was a musician before. I’m not wrong! She was studying us when we were playing, like she could read the chords in her mind. And she saw us play at MXFest! That’s like, only a festival for other musicians. Julie is definitely a musician, and I don’t know why she got so weird about it!”

This time, Alex and Reggie groaned together, and the sound felt heavier for some reason. They turned to each other, excluding Luke from the conversation for a moment.

“You don’t think?”

“Has to be, right? MXFest? And how many Julies could there be in LA?”

“I mean, statistically, a lot, but probably not very many that would have gone to MX and would also trip Luke’s music sense.”

“Ugh, Reg, please tell me you don’t buy into that bull.”

“Well-”

Luke finally cut in as Reggie stretched the word out on a high-pitched note.

“Time out! What the hell is going on here? Do you guys know Julie or something?”

Another look passed between them that Luke wasn’t a part of. _Ouch._

“What the fuck?! Are you guys like...hiding something from me?”

He tried, and failed, to keep the hurt from his voice. Reggie and Alex were his best friends. He shared literally everything with them. The thought that they hadn’t been doing the same stung.

“Not hiding necessarily...”

Reggie’s voice was apologetic, pitching higher towards the end as he stepped away from Alex to reach for Luke. Luke pulled back, not allowing them to use his love language against him at the moment. Alex sighed heavily and gave him a remorseful look.

“Julie is best friends with Flynn and Carrie.”

Okay, hold up. How did Alex’s dance studio friends factor into this? They most definitely hadn’t been with her tonight, and he didn’t remember them being at MXFest either. Alex spoke again before Luke could ask.

“I’ll give you this much, you were right that Julie is a musician. Or at least, she was. She’s been going through something for the last year and it’s kind of manifested in a musical block. And don’t ask me what it is because I really don’t know!”

Alex pointed an accusing finger at Luke when his mouth opened. He closed it with a snap, nodding for Alex to continue.

“Apparently, she used to go to the music conservatory with Flynn and Carrie, but she dropped out and took a sabbatical for a bit. She only just came back to LA during the summer. Flynn made her go to MXFest and she’s been trying to get her playing again now that she’s back at school. It’s...not going well. God, I wish I’d known she was gonna be here tonight. Ugh, Flynn is gonna kill me.”

Luke turned the words over in his mind for a moment. A mix of emotion swirled in his gut: smug pride at being right about Julie being a musician, shame that he had to have hit a nerve with her earlier, confusion over how she could let go of something that was clearly a deeply engrained part of her soul, anger that the boys had been keeping this whole thing from him. He didn’t take the time to process the mess before responding.

“So, you _were_ hiding her from me! What the hell guys?! Friends don’t let friends keep secrets like that.”

Reggie looked appropriately chastised, but Alex only glared.

“Yeah, Luke, we didn’t tell you about her. Because you let that _thing_ override your brain and when you think someone musical is nearby you’re like a damn wasp buzzing around until you find the source. Look what happened as soon as you met her.”

Okay, now it was Luke’s turn to feel appropriately chastised. Alex raised a brow and Luke felt his shoulders slump.

“Fine, you’re right. But I wouldn’t have pushed if I had known all of that!”

“Dude, that’s exactly the problem. You shouldn’t need to know someone’s tragic backstory to know when to leave something alone. If you ever see Julie again you better apologize and then keep your damn mouth _shut_ about the music thing. Got it?”

Alex didn’t wait for a response before turning his back to start loading up the van. Reggie placed a hand against Luke’s shoulder.

“You know we love you right? You just...you’ve gotta take a step back sometimes. Not everyone feels as strongly about music as you do, and that’s okay. We love your enthusiasm, and we wouldn’t be where we are as a band without you, but you can’t expect everyone to feel that way.”

Reggie’s soft words hit harder than Alex’s frustration. He just couldn’t help it. One-track mind and all. But the boys were right in their own way.

Luke pouted throughout the load up, barely even acknowledging Reggie’s hug goodbye as he caught an Uber to meet up with whoever had caught his eye that night. Alex drove them home in silence, waiting until Luke was climbing out of the passenger side door to call after him.

“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you about Julie. You’re right that friends shouldn’t keep secrets like that. In all honesty, Reg and I haven’t even actually met her, we just got the bare bones from Flynn when she was venting once. So, please, just drop the whole musician thing around her? If she showed up alone tonight and brought up MXFest that might mean she’s starting to work through some stuff. If she comes around again, you have to give her the space she needs to deal with whatever is going on in her life.”

Luke nodded. He hated to admit it, but Alex was right. He’d had some time to think about it, and he was feeling worse and worse about their interaction with every passing moment. They had been having fun before he brought it up, bantering back and forth. His night could have ended entirely differently if he had just let it go earlier. Alex smiled softly and waited until Luke was waving from the doorway to drive off in the direction of Willie’s apartment.

Luke went inside, blindly going through the motions of showering and brushing his teeth. Then, he laid in bed, alone, and dreamed of Julie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reggie making the band cover Man! I Feel Like A Woman! is absolutely a reference to the video of the boys + Madison singing it for karaoke. Also, this chapter title was a bit of a misnomer because the action doesn't actually start until the next one sorryyyy


	2. betcha we can have some fun, girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title: Summer Love by Justin Timberlake (but more specifically [this cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpM059uy4Ck) by Chelsea Cutler)

Luke really didn’t expect to see Julie again. He was pretty sure he had blown any chance he’d had with her, and she would probably write him off as another dickhead boy in a band and move on with her life. He was okay with that, or at least, he was telling himself he was okay with that.

He had taken it to heart when Alex and Reggie had voiced their concerns. He did have a tendency to let himself get stuck in music mode to the point that it overrode everything else. He just hadn’t ever realized that he had maybe hurt some people along the way. It felt like everything he did in life was underscored by his desire to make music, connect with people on a deeper level through his words and chords. Sometimes he forgot that not everyone else was like that.

So, even though he was still haunted by the intense look in Julie’s eyes when watching them play and the sound of her gentle hum, he forced himself to ignore the part of him that begged to call Flynn and ask for Julie’s number. See, he was learning. He could grow. _Take that Alex._

In fact, he was so focused on forgetting about Julie and moving on with his life that he completely missed it when she showed up at Ebbie’s during his shift five days later.

It was one of the weeknight open mics so not really as crowded as it got for a Friday or Saturday night show. When Luke had first started working at the bar he had begged off every open mic shift possible so he could perform. As their following grew though, he started working them more in an effort to watch out for any upcoming talent. He had noticed that a lot of conservatory kids signed up for the weekday slots and attended the weekend shows, so it made good business sense for the band anyway. Better to have those students as fans instead of competition.

So, he had his eyes on the stage, elbow deep in the bar sink washing glasses as he watched a blonde girl absolutely butcher her rendition of some Ariana Grande song when Julie slid into place in front of him at the bar. He startled slightly, surprised by her sudden appearance, before he actually realized who she was. She had a determined look on her face, not quite a glare, but almost. He felt his cheeks burn, but still couldn’t resist the temptation to check her out. Her curls were piled high on her head, showing off an elegant neck. The shirt she wore hung off her shoulders, exposing collarbones he wanted to kiss his way across. She was just as pretty as he remembered, possibly more so. His dreams had most certainly not done her justice. He opened his mouth to say something, but she beat him to it.

“So, what, do you like own this bar or something? Play here, work here, am I ever gonna be able to avoid you?”

He raised a brow, half shocked, half amused by her verbal attack. Her hands were clenched on the bar top, shoulders tight. Slowly, he pulled his hands out of the soapy water, grabbing the towel off of his shoulder to dry them. Her eyes tracked every movement, and he couldn’t help but draw it out just a little bit. He wasn’t above using her obvious physical attraction to him to earn back some brownie points.

“Well hello to you too. Can I get you something to drink or did you just come here to pick a fight?”

Her brow furrowed, face slipping into an actual grimace this time as she dragged her gaze away from his forearms. Then, she let out a deep breath and melted into her hands.

“Tequila. Lots of tequila.”

“Well or top shelf?”

“Surprise me.”

Her voice was flat, but he could tell it was a test. He pulled the bottle of Casamigos off of the highest shelf behind the bar, plunking two shot glasses down in front of her and filling both to the brim before sliding her a saltshaker and several lime wedges on a small plate. She slammed one of the shots back without preamble, reaching for the second one. Luke snagged it before she could, nearly laughing at the way she growled at him. God, it should be criminal for her to be so hot when she was clearly pissed.

“Ah, ah, ah. If you’re drinking on the house, you have to share with your bartender.”

She twisted her mouth into a sneer and Luke tossed his own shot back before his chuckle could escape.

“I would rather pay than drink with you.”

He leaned over the bar, getting in her face. To her credit she didn’t back away. Just looked him up and down with fire in her eyes.

“Too bad. What are you angry drinking about anyway?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she responded snottily, but her eyes darted over to the stage and back and that gave it away completely.

“There’s still a few spots open if you wanna sign up. I bet you’d be better than whatever that mess is.”

He gestured to the girl onstage, still belting her lungs out like she could actually hit the note she was aiming for. For a split second, he caught the look of longing that flashed in Julie’s gaze, before it melted away to be replaced by blazing fury once more. He could tell she was about to bail again, so he quickly refilled the shot glasses, holding his up almost as a challenge. She snagged her own, definitely glaring now.

“I told you, I’m not a musician.”

And then she threw her shot back, plunked the glass on the bar top, and whirled around to make her escape.

“Wait!”

She didn’t. Trapped behind the bar, Luke watched her disappear into the crowd. He groaned, swallowed his own shot down, and cursed his inability to just leave Julie alone. At least Alex hadn’t been here to witness his epic fail at dropping the whole music thing.

He spent the rest of his shift kicking himself over the confrontation. He’d blown it, yet again, and this time he didn’t even have ignorance on his side to blame. Just his own inability to let the lie slide. Luckily, she had shown up pretty late into the evening, so he didn’t have to spend too long stuck behind the bar replaying every single second of their conversation.

When it was finally time to close, he set Semisonic on a loop even though it killed him, and left Dante to shoo out the remaining conservatory kids that were trying to linger while he hauled overflowing trash bags out the back door. He kicked the door shut behind him, taking in a deep breath of the cool air and ignoring the smell. It was better than a packed bar full of drunk, sweaty customers. He slung the bags into a nearby dumpster and turned to make his way back inside when a small sound caught his attention. He stepped into the darkest corner of the alley, expecting to have to scare off a raccoon or something, and instead found Julie leaning against the wall, face to the sky as she tried to steady her breathing.

“Hey,” he said softly, slowly approaching her, “are you okay?”

She snapped her head in his direction, letting out a strangled sound that was halfway between a cry and a laugh when she spotted him.

“God, of course it’s _you._ ”

She spat the last word like it was a curse. He studied her for a moment and decided to go for joking instead of serious since she clearly didn’t want him watching her breakdown.

“You don’t have to call me God, just Luke is fine.”

She rolled her eyes, standing from her slumped position. But she also took in a steady breath and that felt like a small victory. She stared at him, her gaze raking over him from head to toe and he felt a distinct stirring of interest in his gut at the heat behind her eyes.

“Do you own _any_ shirts with sleeves?”

He raised a brow in her direction, rocking back on his heels and shoving his hands into his front pockets. And yeah, maybe he did it because he knew it makes his biceps flex a bit. He definitely didn’t miss the way it drew her gaze for a quick moment.

“You’ve seen me a total of what, three times? Pretty sure that’s not enough interaction to judge my closet.”

“Yeah, well, I know your type.”

“My ‘type’?” He questioned, stepping closer to her so he was shrouded in shadows as well.

“Cocky, confident band boy who thinks he’s God’s gift to music. Uses his attractiveness to disarm everyone around him and sleep his way to the top.”

Okay, so she was a little bit right with her first statement, but the second one was way off base and cut deep considering he had been working his ass off for _years_ to get his band where it was today. He stepped even closer, agitation swirling in his gut.

“You don’t even know me.”

It took him a second to realize he’d stolen her line from their first meeting. She met his gaze evenly, pushing up on her toes so she could get in his face.

“I don’t have to know you. And I don’t want to.”

She was lying again. She did wanna know him. He could tell by the way her pupils were dilated, her breath coming in quick little pants. And look, he was seriously trying to give her the benefit of the doubt with this aggressive interaction she had started because she very obviously was dealing with something and taking it out on him. But at the same time, he was a little sick of being her punching bag for no reason. So, he didn’t stop himself from firing back.

“Yeah? Well, I don’t have to know you to know that you’re a musician and lying about it. I know you go to that fancy conservatory. Do you know how many people would kill for a spot there? And you’re just wasting it.”

He could tell by the way she flinched that his shot had found its mark, maybe a little deeper than originally intended but effective, nonetheless. She faltered for a moment before stepping up, literally toe to toe with him as she shoved her face into his.

“You can have my spot. I’m not a musician anyway.”

He smirked.

“I don’t need your spot, princess. I’ve worked my way to where I’m at on my own. And you can lie about it until the cows come home, but you’ll never convince me that you are anything but a musician.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, do you ever shut up??”

She was nearly growling, tiny fists clenching at her sides.

“Not unless someone makes me.”

He wasn’t sure why he said it, wasn’t sure when their fighting had turned to flirting. But he knew the instant she decided to do something about it by the way her eyes blazed. And then one of those tiny fists was curling into the front of his shirt, dragging him down until their lips met.

He didn’t hesitate, blood roaring hot and heavy in his veins as he took control, backing her into the wall and hauling one of her legs up over his hip for leverage. She released her hold on his shirt to spear her hands through his hair, tugging hard enough to pull a groan from the back of his throat. She tasted like tequila and sin and something sweet that had to be some kind of special Julie essence. He gave into his fantasy from earlier, dragging his lips down her neck, sucking his way across her collarbone, soaking in the breathy moans spilling from her swollen lips. One of his hands found its way to her hip, teasing the strip of skin between the bottom of her shirt and the top of her jean skirt. Her hips lifted away from the wall, grinding into his own, the friction so good he had to drag himself away from her skin to catch his breath.

Face to face with Julie once more, he paused. There was something in her expression that he couldn’t quite identify, some emotion lurking under the surface that he wanted to explore. She didn’t let him, surging forward until her lips were on his once again. She moved her hips in a slow, meaningful circle, reaching between them to play with the button on his jeans. His brain short circuited, the feeling of her fingertips on his skin sending his pulse into overdrive. He wanted to ask her if she was sure about this, remind her that they were still in a very public alleyway just feet away from his workplace. She broke off their kiss, moved her head until her lips brushed his earlobe. The sensation sent a shiver down his spine, her breath hot as she whispered directly into his ear.

“Please, stop thinking.”

He wasn’t entirely sure if the begging tone was meant for him or for her or maybe for both of them, but he gave into it anyway. Let himself be taken over by the flood of desire rushing through his veins. Didn’t let a single other thought occupy his brain except for _Julie, Julie, Julie_ until she was chanting his name, coming unraveled under his touch.

They came down slowly, breathing evening out, Luke letting her legs slip down from around his waist, hands on her hips until he knew she was steady on her feet again. All at once he felt the chill of the night air creeping in, the exposure of remembering they were barely hidden in the alley, would be completely screwed if Dante decided to step out the back door and see what was taking Luke so long. Julie seemed to feel it too, pulling away, tugging at her clothes until they were back in place, albeit a bit more wrinkled than they had been previously. He stared down at her in the low light, studying the way she bit her lip, wishing she was biting his again instead. But she had pulled on that same armor from the first time they met, that wall firmly back in place between them even though they hadn’t really moved.

“This doesn’t change anything,” she said into the space between them. “You’re still a dick and I’m still not a musician.”

He wanted to fight back because honestly arguing with her had been an incredible form of foreplay and he wouldn’t mind getting back to that place where it felt like maybe she didn’t really hate him. But he could tell by the way her eyes were a little wild, her hands trembling ever so slightly, that this was uncharted territory for her. For once in his life, he backed off.

“Whatever you say, boss.”

He raised his hands in front of him in surrender, slouching into the wall as casually as he could. She stared at him for another moment and then stalked out of their dark corner, nearly running in her haste to leave the alleyway. He let her go, staring at her until she hit the street. She looked over her shoulder just once, met his gaze steadily, before turning the corner and disappearing from sight. Luke exhaled a long breath and shook his head before making sure he was decent and reentering the bar.

Dante raised a brow when he appeared, the sound of _Closing Time_ blessedly gone. Luke shrugged easily, like he hadn’t just had Julie’s hands down his pants 5 minutes ago.

“There was a raccoon. Had to chase it off.”

His coworker didn’t question it, one of the perks of Luke’s seniority, and they finished the rest of the closing tasks quickly and quietly. It wasn’t until he was back in the safety of his apartment, under the warm spray of a well-deserved shower that he let himself revisit the memory of feeling Julie under his hands, his name on her lips like a prayer. For the rest of his life, he didn’t think he would feel as high as he had in that moment. He groaned, resting his forehead against the cool tile. _Fuck he was so screwed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short lil update because the next part ended up waaaay longer than anticipated and I felt like it would be better to split it up a bit. I'm not gonna lie, I'm falling hard for bitchy Julie and disaster Luke. This dynamic is entirely too fun to play around with.
> 
> Songs mentioned:
> 
> no tears left to cry by Ariana Grande (not explicitly mentioned but what I imagined while writing it)  
> Closing Time by Semisonic (shout out to every fucking bar in my hometown that would play this in an effort to annoy people into leaving when they were trying to close)


	3. i'll make it through a lie or two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title: Glue by Nat & Alex Wolff

Once again, Luke convinced himself that he wouldn’t see any more of Julie. Hooking up in a grimy alleyway wasn’t exactly the pinnacle of romance, and it had only happened in a fit of anger fueled lust anyway. Plus, he had learned early on in life that other people couldn’t hurt him nearly as badly with their rejections if he just lowered his expectations. So, that’s what he did.

He didn’t tell Alex or Reggie about their alley encounter, didn’t let himself bring her up in conversation even though he spent almost all of his time thinking about her. He kept her locked away in his memories, certain that if he just kept moving forward he would eventually forget about her and move on.

Of course, those plans came to a screaming halt when she showed up at the bar again for their regular set two nights later.

He practically felt it when she arrived. A physical shift in the bar's energy the second she stepped inside. Like an electricity that was tied to her and her alone, causing him to nearly falter a note as he looked up and saw her in the back of the crowd, same spot as the week before. He knew that Alex and Reggie didn’t recognize her because neither one of them shot him a knowing look. In fact, Luke seemed to be the only one who had clocked her sudden appearance.

She didn’t look exactly happy to be there, but she also didn’t look quite as pissed off as the last time he had seen her. She looked as hot as ever, hair loose like the first time he had seen her, a short pink dress clinging to her like a second skin. He didn’t let himself think about the easy access a dress like that would afford a guy like him. Instead, he channeled his lust filled thoughts into their performance, rolling his hips against the mic stand, flexing as he strummed a little harder, growling his lines into the mic like he was singing for her and her alone.

Sure, it was a little juvenile, but hey, it was working.

She shifted against the back wall, fingers running back and forth across the necklaces looped around her throat. And then, as their set was coming to a close, she made direct eye contact with him before slipping into the hallway that led to the bathrooms. She didn’t reappear, and he was nearly jumping out of his skin in his haste to accept her unspoken invitation. He barely stayed on stage long enough for Reggie’s expected closing line, giving the boys a bullshit lie about needing to pee as he practically tossed his guitar into its stand and hopped down.

Reggie was already getting distracted by his personal fan group, Alex shooting him a weird look but letting it go since Willie had managed to make it to this show. Luke thanked the universe for small blessings as he slipped into the hallway. He also threw up an extra thanks for the bathroom design being one of singular private rooms instead of communal rooms with multiple stalls. It took Julie less than 30 seconds to reach into the hall and drag him into the one she had claimed.

Her hands were around his neck, tugging him down to meet her lips without so much as a _“hey how are you doing?”_ Luke wasn’t complaining.

He let his fingers trail up the exposed skin on her thigh, backing her into the counter, hauling her up so he could nestle himself between her legs without question. She dragged her lips down his neck, sucking at the pulse point that was going absolutely wild under her touch. He had to get some sort of control back, savor the moment as it were.

“You keep showing up like this and I’m gonna start to think you’re actually a fan.”

She snorted into the skin of his neck, barely breaking away long enough to shoot him a heated glare.

"Don’t get ahead of yourself, pretty boy. This is just an incredibly satisfying way to blow off some steam.”

His brain stuck on _pretty_ and _incredibly satisfying_ and he couldn’t let it go so easily, despite the way she was doing her best to distract him with her lips against his neck and her hands under his shirt, fiddling with his belt.

“Oh ho, so two nights ago I was ‘God’s gift to music’ and now I’m an incredibly satisfying pretty boy? Careful, Julie, I’m gonna get a big head if you keep dishing out compliments like that.”

He practically felt her roll her eyes, dragging her face out of where it had been nestled to meet him head on.

“First of all, I cannot be held responsible for the things I say when I’m trying to get off. And second of all, your big head isn’t my concern right now. I’d kind of rather focus on your little head if you don’t mind.”

Her gaze drifted down to the growing bulge in his pants and, yeah, Luke couldn’t deny that he grew impossibly harder hearing her talk like that.

“Such dirty words from such a pretty mouth.”

He drew the pad of his thumb over her plump lips, reveling in the way it caused her pupils to expand and her breath to stutter. Quick as can be, she was slipping off of the counter, shoving him back hard enough that he had to catch himself on his elbows before he fell.

“That’s not the only thing I can do with my mouth.”

And then she was dropping to her knees and Luke was pretty sure his soul was leaving his body and floating all the way up to Heaven with the way she made him feel. He didn’t let her flee when he finished, wrapping a hand around her wrist as she turned for the door. She looked back at him, annoyed, but he pulled her close again to kiss her.

“Turnabout is fair play you know. I’m not gonna be able to sleep tonight if I don’t get a chance to hear you scream my name again.”

“I don’t scream.”

The reply was meant to be snappy, but she wasn’t able to pull it off with the way she went breathless under his touch. He didn’t let her go again until she was shuddering against him, his name spilling out of her lips like she had forgotten any other word in the English language.

She was panting as she pulled her dress back into place, rearranging her underwear from where he had pushed it aside. He couldn’t help but smirk as he took in her disheveled appearance, pride swelling in his chest at the knowledge that he and he alone had given her that satisfied glow. She glared at him, but it wasn’t as sharp as it had been the last time.

“You’re still an asshole.”

Her statement lacked any heat. Luke couldn’t help the soft feeling it left thrumming through his veins. Like she had meant it as an endearment instead of an insult.

“I don’t see you complaining.”

“Yeah, well, it turns out you have your uses. That is, when you aren’t too busy talking.”

“Turns out you’ve got the perfect way to shut me up.”

She flushed scarlet from head to toe like she hadn’t been the one to start this whole thing in the first place. She moved for the door again, and Luke felt her loss like a physical ache.

“Hey, Julie?”

He didn’t expect her to turn, so used to the way she tended to leave him hanging. But she lingered for a moment, her back to him, body poised to run, but willing to hear him out this time.

“The next open mic is on Tuesday. I’ll be working, in case you decide to come by.”

He tried to keep his voice casual, like it wouldn’t matter to him one way or the other if she showed. Except it did matter. It _really_ mattered. She threw him an indecipherable glance over her shoulder.

“Why would I need to come for an open mic? I’m not a musician.”

And then she was out of the door before he had a chance to collect himself and respond. By the time he had checked his appearance over in the mirror and made his way back out to the bar, she was nowhere to be found.

The boys could tell something was off when he reappeared. For once, Reggie hadn’t gone off into a dark corner to share some of his love, so he was tucked into a booth with Alex and Willie when Luke stumbled out of the hallway. He tried to play it cool, nodding towards the bar to let them know he was grabbing drinks. That was probably his first mistake. Luke generally didn’t drink after shows, wanting to ride the performance high on its own for as long as possible. Alex shot him a calculated stare when he slid into the booth with a pitcher and four beer glasses. Luke avoided his gaze, methodically unstacking the glasses and filling them.

“So, anything you wanna share with the class?”

Alex’s tone was dry, Willie’s soft giggle muffled as he turned his face into his boyfriend’s neck. Luke’s cheeks burned.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He kept his voice steady as he slid a glass across to Alex before taking a large gulp from his own. Alex raised a brow and Willie’s giggle exploded into a full-on laugh. Luke ignored them, turning to face Reggie instead.

“No new fans tonight, Reg?”

“Ah, no. Figured I’d take the night off.”

There was something in his friend’s voice that Luke was about to question, but then Reggie smirked and lifted a finger to point at Luke’s neck.

“Looks like you found a fan of your own though. You’ve got a little something right _there._ ”

He reached over and pushed lightly on a spot just above the vein in Luke’s neck. It was only then that he registered the light throb underneath Reggie’s touch. _Julie had given him a hickey._ He felt his chest warm, something between embarrassment and a weird sense of pride that she had marked him. Willie snorted across the table and Luke reached up to slap Reggie’s hand away.

“Stop that! I just...uh...must have hit it on something in the bathroom.”

As far as excuses went, that was probably the worst one he had ever come up with. Alex let out his own snort, nearly identical to Willie’s.

“Suuuuure.”

Luke buried his face in his beer to avoid answering Alex.

“ _Anyway,_ Willie, what did you think of the set tonight?”

Willie raised an eyebrow, but thankfully let the topic drop. Alex shot him a look that made it obvious he wasn’t going to be so easily dissuaded, but then Willie launched into a recount of exactly how hot Alex had looked on stage and the drummer was sufficiently distracted. He reminded himself to thank Willie when he got the chance, especially when Alex suddenly stiffened 20 minutes later and announced that he would be heading home with his boyfriend as he tossed Luke the keys to the band van. It was only then that Luke realized Willie’s hands were suspiciously absent from the table. Okay, scratch the verbal thank you, Willie deserved a damn bouquet for granting Luke an entire night away from Alex’s interrogating. Willie grinned across the table at him, hands suddenly reappearing to sweep his long hair into a bun, and Luke hid his smirk behind another gulp of beer.

They made quick work of breaking down the stage, Willie lending an extra hand that may or may not have actually been helpful depending on which band member was asked. Reggie waited until the van was loaded, Alex and Willie separating to walk back to the latter’s car, before rounding on Luke.

“Okay so who was it?”

“Who was what?”

Reggie raised a brow, reaching up to flick the darkening bruise on Luke’s neck. He slapped the bassist’s hand away again.

“Dude, seriously, stop!”

“No,” Reggie shook his head once, crossing leather-clad arms over his chest as he pinned Luke with a serious stare. “I gave up an overnight offer from seriously one of the hottest guys I’ve ever seen just to make sure you weren’t gonna have another disaster like last week and then you end up hooking up with someone in the bar bathroom? What gives? Who is this mystery neck sucker?”

Luke scrunched his nose, completely uncomfortable with the direction this conversation was moving in.

“Isn’t Alex supposed to be the mom friend? What’s up with the 20 questions?”

Reggie rolled his eyes and Luke ducked away from his friend’s reach, slipping into the driver’s side of the van. Reggie didn’t give up though, climbing into the passenger’s seat and flicking the radio off before Luke could protest.

“I see your aversion and I raise you an assumption: was it Julie?”

Luke nearly choked on his own tongue, face in flames as he tried to think of a denial that wouldn’t sound too over the top.

“What? No! Why would you even ask that?”

Reggie raised a brow, nodding to himself.

“Cool, so it was _definitely_ Julie. How did you go from royally screwing that up to hooking up with her in the fucking bar bathroom a week later?”

His voice was mildly impressed, but Luke could hear the undercurrent of concern running through it.

“I never said it was Julie.”

“Bro, you cannot lie to save your _life._ Your right eye twitches as soon as you even think about it.”

Luke slapped a hand over his eye, blocking it from Reggie’s view. The brunette scoffed.

“Too late. C’mon, I promise I won’t spill the beans to Alex until you’re ready. I’m honestly just curious about how this all happened. When I got coffee with Flynn yesterday she said Julie woke her up playing the piano. It was the first time Flynn heard her play since she came back. And then you were being so weird and secretive tonight, which is definitely _not_ your style. Wasn’t hard to put two and two together.”

Luke started to deny it and then paused as Reggie’s words sank in. Julie had played again the morning after their alleyway hook-up. That same swelling of pride took up home inside of his chest. She might claim that he was an asshole, might claim that she wasn’t a musician, but he wasn’t wrong in believing both of those things to be a lie. Reggie’s statement proved that. She was a musician, she wanted to play again, and somehow having semi-public hate sex with him had helped her. No wonder she had shown up again tonight. Luke sighed and began driving towards the apartment, needing something to focus on besides Reggie’s inquisitive face.

“I might have seen her a few nights ago. And she might have showed up tonight. I don’t really know what to say, Reg. She definitely doesn’t seem to like me, but...yeah there may have been some amount of hooking up that happened. And she’s _playing_ again! That’s awesome! I fucking _knew_ she was a musician.”

Reggie went uncharacteristically silent in the passenger seat. Luke didn’t push, honestly wasn’t sure he really wanted to keep talking about the whole situation anyway. He was just as confused about it as anyone else. He definitely didn’t have any answers as to how he had managed to pull it off. It wasn’t until they were almost home that Reggie spoke again.

“Just, be careful, man. I love you, you’re my brother, and I would hate to see you get hurt. Julie seems pretty great from the way Flynn and Carrie talk about her, but she’s definitely not in a good headspace right now. I just...I don’t want you caught in the crossfire of whatever she’s going through.”

Luke parked the van and ran a hand through his hair on a long exhale.

“Thanks, Reg. I promise I know the score. I’m not expecting anything from her, and I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual.”

“If you say so.”

The way Reggie mumbled it made it clear he didn’t believe Luke. But there wasn’t much he could do about that. He had been honest; he really _wasn’t_ expecting anything from Julie. Except for maybe a few more orgasms before the whole thing fizzled out.

Blessedly, Reggie dropped the topic. He even kept his word not to say anything about it to Alex. Luke felt slightly uncomfortable that he had made such a big deal about them hiding Julie from him when he was now doing the exact same thing, but he couldn’t help it. Whatever thing he had with Julie felt too fragile and new to bring into the light. If he named it, he would have to defend it, and he wasn’t sure Alex would buy any of what he was selling.

So, he kept it to himself when she showed up at the bar again on Tuesday. And when she showed up on Thursday. Both open mic nights, although she didn’t sign up to perform.

Instead, she watched the cycle of whoever had as they played covers and the occasional original song. Luke could tell which performers were from the conservatory by the way she would stiffen and avert her eyes. It took literally all of his willpower not to push her on it. It wasn’t his place, he kept reminding himself. She had taken a step, maybe even a few steps. She had played the piano, she was showing up to watch other musicians perform. She would get there. She wouldn’t be able to lie to ~~him~~ herself forever.

He couldn’t resist little signals though, like how he would pass her a shot of tequila when her shoulders started to get a little too tense. She would shoot him an epic stink eye and he would raise his own shot glass in solidarity before they slammed them down together. He didn’t miss the small sigh she would let out afterwards. She was even softening a bit towards his insistence that she could sign up. Sure, she still lied and said she didn’t play. But she didn’t run away from him afterwards. Just rolled her eyes and ordered another shot.

Both nights she also appeared in the dark alleyway corner after closing so that she could drag him close, whispering in his ear about how it didn’t mean anything, she just needed to release some tension. He was more than happy to help her with that. She wouldn’t wait around after they both caught their breath, always slipping away before he got a chance to say anything. She would give him one long look from the alleyway entrance and then turn the corner and melt away.

And look, Luke really wasn't going to complain about getting a chance to be with a beautiful woman like Julie in whatever way she was willing to have him. He knew that he should just accept what was being offered for as long as she continued to offer it because it probably wasn't going to be offered for very long. But he couldn’t help but be a little put off that she didn’t seem willing to have an actual conversation with him that wasn’t some form of argumentative foreplay. He felt the connection between their musician souls literally every time he was with her, and it burned a bit that she seemed so willfully ignorant of it. Or, if she wasn’t ignorant, she was at least 100% willing to ignore it in favor of pushing his buttons until she came undone under his touch.

Luke told himself as he drove home on Thursday with the smell of Julie still clinging to his skin that if she showed up for the open mic on Friday he wouldn’t let her escape so easily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luke continues to be a disaster. Julie also continues to be a disaster and I'm probably going to have to write some missing scenes from her perspective when this fic ends to properly showcase her disaster spiral.


	4. engulfed in the flames, engulfed in the shame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title: Crowded Room by Selena Gomez ft. 6LACK

So, of course, Julie didn’t show up on Friday. Luke spent his entire shift waiting to catch even the smallest glimpse of her, but she wasn’t there. And she wasn’t waiting in their dark corner when he took the trash out later. He had known by then that expecting her to be there was a fool’s hope, but hey, Luke had been called a fool a time or two. He had hoped.

He wondered if she would come to their gig on Saturday. She had shown up all on her own the first time, had sought him out last week. He didn’t want to tell himself that she would come just to end up disappointed, but he also couldn’t stop himself from wishing that she would follow the same pattern from the last couple of weeks. He had missed her the night before. He wanted to see her again. Wanted to talk to her, and yeah, he wanted to touch her.

When she did show up, his heart almost stopped before suddenly picking up in a crazy double-time beat. He had exactly one perfect moment of excitement at seeing her. And then he realized that she wasn’t alone.

For the first time, she brought Flynn and Carrie with her. And all of Luke’s plans to woo her with words in a post-orgasm haze went straight out the window because suddenly he had to pretend he didn’t know what every single inch of her felt like underneath him. It was actual torture. Made all the worse by the fact that she was wearing jeans that looked painted on and a vintage band tee that he was pretty sure he also owned, just a bit more cut up than the version she sported.

She looked like she had walked straight out of his dreams, and he couldn’t even touch her.

When their set ended, Luke had a grand total of 30 seconds to prepare himself before the girls were crowding the stage, Alex and Reggie calling out happy greetings. Luke kept his own hello a bit more subdued, trying his hardest not to zero in on Julie completely. It was painfully obvious from the way she hung back that her friends had absolutely no idea about her extra curriculars with Luke at that very same bar. Which shouldn’t hurt, because she had told him time and time again that what they were doing was just casual, but still. _Ouch._

“Boys,” Carrie’s voice was sparkling as she reached behind her to pull Julie close, “this is Julie! We finally convinced her to come out with us.”

“Hey, Julie! It’s nice to meet you. I’m Reggie.”

Reggie, literal sunshine personified, beamed as he hopped off the stage and held a hand out for her to shake. Julie gave him a genuine smile as she grabbed his hand, and Luke felt the strings of his guitar cut into his palm as he squeezed the neck a bit harder than necessary. Alex was the next to climb down, slipping into place beside Reggie with his own outstretched hand and soft smile.

“Alex. We’ve heard a lot about you from Flynn and Carrie. It’s nice to finally put a face to the name.”

Julie turned her grin towards the drummer, shaking his hand as well. Luke forced himself to place his guitar in its stand and casually make his way to the front of the stage. He didn’t climb down, not sure he could handle being so close to her right then, but he did drop to sit on the edge in a move that was reminiscent of their first meeting. Julie’s gaze cut to his and he knew she recognized the motion. He smirked a bit, unable to help himself.

Flynn shot him a sharp look, like she was warning him away, and he suddenly remembered that one of the few times he had hung out with her he had gone off on a rant about his musician sense. She hadn’t been impressed then, and she didn’t appear to be impressed now. She had obviously been the one gatekeeping access to Julie. Luke had a sneaking suspicion it was because she knew he would recognize Julie’s musician soul lurking underneath the surface. He kinda wished he could tell her that ship had already sailed.

Instead, he stuck his hand towards Julie, almost like a dare. Her eyes flashed and she stepped closer, placing her small hand into his. It took everything in him not to react to the spark that burned a path up his arm at the connection. He honestly wasn’t sure what he was going to say, could feel his right eye start to twitch, _thanks for that realization, Reggie_ , but she surprised him by cutting in before he could speak.

“I think we’ve met before. You work here right? Luke?”

If you had asked him what he thought Julie might say in that moment, it wouldn’t have been anything remotely close to that. He had to act quickly to make sure his jaw didn’t drop. He covered his shock with what he hoped was a mostly casual throat clearing and dropped her hand to grab the edge of the stage.

“Uh, yeah. Hey. You were at one of the open mics this week, yeah? Two shots of tequila?”

Okay, so he couldn’t help but tease just a little bit. Sue him.

He was feeling decidedly out of his depths, not sure what script Julie had intended for him to follow and acutely aware that everyone else had turned to the two of them to silently watch the exchange. Julie blushed ever so slightly; he probably would have missed it if it wasn’t the exact same shade she turned when she was drawing him close between her thighs. Flynn interrupted the moment, and Luke had never been so happy for the pint-sized firecracker.

“What the hell, Molina?! When did you sneak off to an open mic?!”

There was a small amount of hurt in Flynn’s voice, like she felt left out of something important. Carrie laid a hand against her girlfriend’s shoulder and Luke watched them exchange a look. Julie turned towards Flynn a bit, locking eyes with the other girl but not fully angling away from Luke.

“I just came to watch. Nothing else.”

The way she stared Flynn down, Luke would bet money they were having their own silent conversation. Tension crackled for a minute before Flynn gave a small nod. Her eyebrows waggled, similar to Reggie’s when he was trying to communicate that a topic would be discussed again later. Julie’s shoulders seemed to fall just a bit, and Luke suddenly felt guilty for bringing it up at all. He jumped down from the stage and waited until the conversation moved on to some drama at the dance studio as the girls turned to lead the rest of them to a booth they had claimed. Once he was sure no one was paying attention to him anymore, he stepped close behind Julie, bending so his lips were at her ear as they walked.

“Sorry, boss, but you kinda threw me to the sharks there. A little heads up woulda been nice.”

She slowed her steps and gave him a quick sidelong glance before looking forward again, like she was checking to make sure they wouldn’t be overheard. He moved even closer, unable to contain his small smile at the way her breath hitched for a moment.

“I didn’t know the plan was to end up here. I thought we were gonna do a girl’s night and I would be able to sneak away when they got drunk and started making out.”

Wow okay. Yeah. Luke was okay, he was still breathing, he was fine. Julie had just admitted that she had still intended to show up tonight, had still meant to end her night with his hands all over her and his name on her lips. But he was totally cool. Super cool. Super chill and cool and casual. He could handle this.

“I can make the drunk thing happen if you still wanna sneak away. I’ve kinda got an in with the bartender.”

Her steps faltered just enough for him to catch on to the fact that yes, she _did_ still want to sneak away, and she had been disappointed at the prospect of not being able to. Her gaze cut to his once more, a heat blazing in her warm brown eyes that he knew all too well. _He was super fucking chill, and he could handle this._

“What about your boys?”

Luke chanced a glance away from Julie’s all too mesmerizing face to see Alex caught up in a conversation with Flynn and Carrie while Reggie’s eyes scanned the bar interior like he was looking for his next overnight lover.

“I can take care of that, too. Gimme 20 minutes, tops.”

“What if I can’t wait that long?”

Jesus Christ this girl was trying to kill him. The way she looked at him told him it wasn’t a rhetorical question. Her voice was breathy, pupils blown wide, pink staining her cheeks and cascading down her neck. Luke gulped. Chill went out the window.

“Find an excuse to go to the bathroom. I’ll meet you there in 5.”

It wasn’t a question, it was an order, his voice going husky as he whispered directly into her ear so that she felt the heat from his breath and the desperation in his tone. He didn’t miss the little shiver that worked its way down her spine. He let himself savor it for exactly one second before winding his way around her to place his hands on the table-top, drawing the attention of the rest of the group as they sat down.

“Hokay, everyone gimme your order and I’ll get it taken care of. Perks of the job.”

He shot an exaggerated wink in Julie’s direction, pretending to miss the identical eye roll from both Alex and Flynn. In the overlapping chaos of everyone shouting out their preferred drink, he caught Julie whispering something in Flynn’s ear before taking off for the hallway that led to the bathrooms. He finished mentally cataloging what everyone wanted before spinning on his heel and melting into the crowd. Luckily, it was busy enough that the table wouldn’t expect drinks anytime soon. While Luke wouldn’t charge them, he also wouldn’t make the staff break away from paying customers to prepare shit for his friends. It was a time-honored service industry rule, and they all knew the drill. Once he was sure they had lost sight of him, he doubled back and slipped into the same hallway Julie had disappeared down.

She was in the same room as the last time, and Luke thanked his lucky stars that she had thought to go for consistency when he barged in. Their eyes caught the second the door opened, Luke barely managing to get it closed and locked behind him before she was in his arms. He groaned when her lips met his, feeling weirdly blessed that somehow, out of every possible option she had, Julie Molina had chosen _him_ as her stress release.

Her legs wrapped around his hips, the two of them slamming into the wall so that Luke had a little extra leverage to work with. For the first time that night he found himself hating the jeans she had chosen to wear.

“Fuck, Jules, how the hell am I supposed to work with this?”

He panted into her neck, fingers desperately scrabbling at the denim that refused to budge despite his clawing hands. She let out a breathy giggle, tucking her face into his neck and sucking at his skin in a way that made his blood sing.

“You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

And didn’t that just send his heart into overdrive.

Her absolute confidence in him, her comfortable trust despite the fact that they had only really come together four times now, made him feel like he was practically floating. He abandoned his desperate quest to get her pants off long enough to grab her chin and drag her lips back to his. He wouldn’t ever get sick of kissing her. She pulled away after a long moment, fingernails scratching lightly at the back of his neck, tangling into his hair.

 _I missed you last night. Where were you?_ The words were on the tip of his tongue as he stared down at her. Something in his face must have given it away, Julie’s gaze shifting away from his as she kissed her way across his jaw.

“C’mon, Rockstar, we don’t have all night.”

She rocked her hips forward, pressing him closer in between her legs which didn’t really help with the skinny jeans issue, but _did_ send all of the blood in his body directly below his belt. He could talk to her later. He had all night to talk. He did not have all night to spend hiding in this bathroom with her.

Growling, Luke spun until she was perched on the counter. He dragged himself away from the sweetness of her lips long enough to get her pants undone, nearly ripping them in his haste to pull them down her legs. In one fluid movement he yanked his shirt over his head, lifting Julie with one arm around her waist so he could spread the fabric out as a layer between her and the counter. She rose one eyebrow at him, confusion almost overriding the lust in her eyes as she fingered the worn cotton between her fingers. He didn’t want to think too hard about the gesture or how she might take it. He was just trying to be a considerate guy with the girl that was currently occupying every space in his heart and brain. Before she could comment, he brought his lips down to hers, kissing her deeply until she was boneless beneath him once more. And then, in a move nearly identical to hers the week before, he dropped to his knees and tugged on her waist until she was right where he wanted her.

It didn’t take long to get her singing his name, the tension and tease of earlier sending her over the edge faster than usual. He looked up at her, head resting on one of her thighs, and for a split second he swore she was looking at him with something closer to adoration than annoyance. She took a second to catch her breath before slipping down, gazing up at him for a long moment. He stopped her before she could return the favor, snagging her wrist as her fingers trailed down his abs and pulling it to his lips for a soft kiss right above her pulse point.

“No time, babe. You’ve already been in here longer than you should. Better have a good excuse for Flynn.”

He pulled her jeans back up, gently redoing her zipper and button. Her eyes caught on his, bewilderment softening her features.

“But I...you didn’t...”

She gestured helplessly at the obvious bulge in his pants. He let out a quiet chuckle.

“No, but I don’t need to. I’ll just think of you later tonight when I’m in the shower and it’ll be almost as good as the real thing.”

She flushed dark red, like the thought of him using these memories for his own personal pleasure had never crossed her mind. He took advantage of the moment to step close, right in her space as he placed a soft kiss along her hairline, both cheeks and finally her lips. She stared up at him almost in a daze, like she wasn’t quite sure what was happening. Honestly, Luke wasn’t sure either.

"You better get out there before they come looking for you. I’ll bring drinks in a bit.”

He gave her ass a small swat, stepping away and pushing her gently towards the door. Julie gave him one more look, entirely different from any other way she had looked at him before, something he couldn’t decipher that left a warm feeling in the space around his heart, and then she slipped out the door. Luke let out a long breath, collapsing against the sink and reciting multiplication tables in his head until his blood cooled a bit. When he was certain he had himself back under control, he splashed some water on his face, pulled his shirt over his head, and left the bathroom as well.

Dante and Fuego, real name Felix, were both behind the bar when Luke slipped in to throw the drinks together for his table. They complimented him on the set, noting that the bar was busier than it has been the last few weeks. Luke grinned - what could he say, their band was just that good - and then quickly loaded up a tray before weaving his way back to the booth.

Julie was wedged in next to Flynn and Carrie, looking decidedly less flushed than the last time he saw her, and she pointedly ignored him as he passed the drinks out. He tried not to react despite the sting he felt. When he slid a shot of tequila in front of her she finally paused her conversation with Reggie to glance his way.

“I didn’t order this.”

“You didn’t have to. A good bartender always remembers a pretty girl’s order.”

She narrowed her eyes in a slight glare, but Luke was used to that by now, so he just winked and then added a Tequila Sunset next to the shot before taking his spot next to Reggie. From across the table, Flynn was looking at him with a calculated gaze. Luke tried not to let it bother him, the fact that Flynn so obviously thought he wasn’t good enough for Julie, and instead brought up the one thing he could talk about endlessly: music.

“So, what did you girls think of the set?”

He was looking right at Julie when he asked the question, even though his wording was meant for the broader group. In his defense, she was directly across from him, so how was he supposed to look anywhere else? Her eyes narrowed, recognizing the challenge in his gaze.

“Why don’t you ask the actual musicians sitting at the table?”

She gestured towards Flynn and Carrie. Luke opened his mouth to call her out, but suddenly there was a sharp pain at the back of his head, courtesy of Alex’s outstretched arm sneaking behind Reggie to smack him. He turned outraged eyes on his best friend, who didn’t look a bit remorseful, before Carrie jumped in to cover the awkward moment. Luke slumped in his seat, letting the conversation carry on without him for a bit. When it became clear that Julie was going to continue pretending like he didn’t exist, he slipped out of the booth to return the now empty tray to the bar and take a moment to breathe.

He wasn’t trying to piss Julie off. He really wasn’t, especially after the soft moment they had shared in the bathroom. But that softness was gone now, and it irked him. Which was why he felt like pushing. That was their thing, right? They pushed each other until they exploded. At least she didn’t ignore him then. And she was definitely ignoring _him_ , specifically, because she seemed to have no problem chatting with Alex or Reggie.

Luke forced himself to take a deep breath before he returned to the booth. Julie didn’t react, though Reggie shot him a quick, almost pitying look. And that honestly bothered Luke a lot, too. Like now that he had met her, Reggie totally understood why Luke was so into her, and he also totally understood why the only thing Luke would ever get from her was a hidden hook-up. The initial sting of rejection burned a little deeper.

Which was probably why when Flynn mentioned something about classes, Luke saw another opportunity to bring up the music thing. And yeah, he knew he had promised to drop it, but also, Julie hadn’t looked at him _once_ since shooting him down with her first remark and he wasn’t too proud to admit that he was feeling bitter about their entire interaction that evening. So, it was a bit harder to silence the part of him that kept screaming about her being a musician. And it was even harder to silence the part of him that wanted to poke at her until she paid attention to him.

“You go to the conservatory with Flynn and Carrie, right, Julie? What’s your focus? Vocals? Piano? Composition?”

The question was innocent enough, but the way the table went dead silent was a clear indicator that everyone there except Luke knew better than to bring that topic up. He felt a sharp pain in his shin, Flynn’s heel making direct contact under the table.

“Do _not_ start with your weird musician sense bullshit, Patterson.”

Okay, so he should _really_ let it go. He had made things awkward, and Julie was sitting across from him as still and stiff as if she had been carved from marble, but it wasn’t like he ever got a chance to talk to her during the other times he saw her. He had thought he would be able to actually have a conversation with her the next time she showed up like this. He had thought they were maybe moving closer to something that she would be willing to acknowledge publicly, especially after the way she had admitted to coming by the bar during the introductions earlier and whatever had happened in the bathroom. He hadn’t expected to be so resolutely ignored and shut out for the rest of the night. Like he didn’t matter. Like she didn’t care about him at all.

“It’s fine, Flynn.”

Julie’s voice was cold, her words gritted out through clenched teeth, and that actually _did_ make him pause. It was one thing to push her in private, getting her riled up so that they could both detonate together. It was another thing entirely to put her on the spot in front of their friends. Once again, he hadn’t thought it through before opening his mouth. Luke tried to send her an apologetic glance, but she kept her eyes focused on a spot above his head.

“You’re right, I go to the conservatory. But I’m not a musician. Not anymore. They’re probably gonna kick me out soon anyway.”

And then she was standing, returning her focus to the group at large but very clearly avoiding Luke’s eyes.

“This was fun, guys, but I’m pretty tired. I think I’m gonna grab an Uber and head out. Reggie, Alex, it was so nice to meet you guys.”

Luke did _not_ miss the fact that he wasn’t included in that sentiment. The girls tried to cajole her into staying, Flynn glaring daggers at Luke all the while, but Julie was pretty firm. Within seconds she had left the table, making her way through the mass of bodies towards the front door. This time, Alex and Flynn were synchronized in their attacks, his head and shin getting hit at the exact same time.

“You can’t chill for one fucking minute can you?” Alex hissed.

Flynn didn’t say anything, but she didn’t need to. Her stare alone was enough to tell Luke everything he needed to know. He had massively fucked up. Again. Reggie’s voice was soft in his ear, thick with disappointment.

“You really think picking on her like that is gonna help your situation?”

Oof. Reggie definitely had a point. Shame rolled through Luke in a hot wave, leaving him slightly nauseous. Before anyone could stop him he was racing off after Julie, ignoring the voices calling him back. He found her just outside the door, approaching slowly where she leaned against the wall, arms wrapped tightly around her middle.

“Julie?”

Her eyes were wet when she turned towards him and that made him feel a million times worse. He had _hurt_ her. The shame intensified.

“Can we just...not do this right now, please?”

Her voice was small, quiet and sad, and it broke his heart clean in two. He stepped closer, slightly encouraged when she didn’t move away.

“I’m sorry.”

He meant it. As much fun as it was to poke at her, he really hadn’t meant to actually cause any pain. Yet another shining example of him not knowing when to leave well enough alone.

“It’s fine, Luke.”

It wasn’t. He knew it wasn’t.

“I just...I come here to not think about that.”

He could tell that wasn’t entirely true. She came here to be surrounded by music. It was why she only showed up for the open mic nights, last night notwithstanding. But he didn’t know her reasoning for not joining in on the music, and clearly, it was something that was still raw for her. He had poured salt directly into her open wounds. He took another step closer, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her into his chest. She didn’t return the hug, but she also didn’t push back, and he took that as a somewhat positive sign. Maybe he could salvage this after all.

“I’m _sorry_ , Julie. I’m an asshole and I don’t know when to shut up, but I _promise_ I’ll drop it. Just banter and sex from here on out, Scout’s honor.”

“I have a hard time believing that you were ever a Boy Scout.”

Luke let out a small laugh, tucking his face into her hair so he could breathe in that scent that was all sweetness and spice and _Julie._

“Okay, so maybe that was more Alex’s thing. But I really do promise to stop.”

She sighed, the sound heavy like it was coming from the depths of her soul. His heart ached, that sixth sense flaring to life, prodding at him. He shoved it away.

“I don’t think you know how to. But thanks anyway. You might be an asshole, but you’re a well-meaning asshole.”

She pulled away, eyes dry and face unreadable. He started to argue that no, he could learn how to stop, for her, but a car pulled up to the curb and she stepped away.

“That’s my ride. I’ll, uh, see you later?”

The way she phrased it, hesitant and questioning, it was like she was asking permission to go back to their previous whatever it was. Hate sex? Semi-public hook-ups? Fighting until they fucked? Luke wasn’t sure how to classify it. He just knew he wasn’t ready to lose her yet. He stepped back, spreading his arms wide to encompass himself and the bar.

“I’ll be here. Next open mic is Tuesday.”

She rolled her eyes, a small smile playing at the edges of her lips. The sight sent the smallest tendril of hope fluttering in his heart. He waited for her to check with the driver and open the door to the backseat. She turned at the last minute, expression unreadable like she wanted to say something but wasn’t sure how to. Then she gave a small shake of her head and climbed into the car. Luke watched her go, for the first time feeling like whatever was going on with Julie was a lot bigger than he had previously thought. With a groan, he turned to the wall, lightly bashing his head against it a few times before running a hand through his hair and making his way back inside.

All conversation came to an abrupt stop when Luke approached the table. Flynn and Alex wore identical scathing looks, Carrie also looking more than a little pissed. Only Reggie had some pity in his gaze. Luke leaned against the table, slowly stacking everyone’s empty glasses. When he spoke, it was to the sticky tabletop.

“Look, I know that was fucked up. I apologized and made sure she got in the car okay. It won’t happen again.”

Flynn snorted, drawing Luke’s gaze up. Carrie had a hand on her shoulder, almost like she was holding her girlfriend back. He was surprised when she was the one that spoke up.

“Listen, Luke, we brought Julie here because we thought it might be good for her. She really liked your band when she heard you play at MXFest. I know it’s not really in your nature to take things slow, but please, give her a break? She’s trying and it’s hard. She doesn’t need you making it harder.”

Luke tried to ignore the way it made him feel to hear that Julie liked their music. Flynn leaned forward a bit, Carrie’s hand not fully dislodged, but slipping lower down her back.

“Carrie is trying to be nice, but I’m not gonna sugarcoat anything for you. If I didn’t love Alex and Reggie so much I would kill you. Stay the fuck away from Julie.”

Luke winced. He had definitely not done himself any favors in the Flynn department tonight.

“Message received,” he told her with a small salute. “I’m gonna...”

He gestured vaguely towards the bar and stage before sweeping up the glasses and nearly running away from the fire in her eyes. He knew Alex and Reggie would have some choice words for him as soon as they were alone, and he was already dreading it. He deserved it, he knew that, but it didn’t make him feel any better. None of them could possibly make him feel as bad as he felt seeing Julie fighting off tears he had caused.

It wasn’t long before the bar was starting to close down. Alex and Reggie materialized on the stage where Luke had been sulking, Flynn and Carrie no longer with them. The boys packed their equipment away without speaking, not a single word passing between them as they made their way out to the van. Luke couldn’t help but cast a longing glance at the dark corner Julie usually waited for him in. He knew she wouldn’t be there tonight. Only he could manage to go from bringing her to the brink of bliss in the bathroom to bringing her to the brink of tears outside in less than an hour. _God, he was such a fuck up._

They loaded up the van in weighted silence. He could practically feel Alex’s disapproval radiating off of him. When they finally piled in the van Luke spoke before either one of the boys could.

“I know I fucked up; you really don’t have to harp on it. I’m the worst kind of asshole and Julie didn’t deserve that. Trust me, you cannot possibly make me feel any worse than I do right now.”

He stared at his hands, twisting the ring on his thumb over and over until his skin started to go numb from the sensation. Alex let out a loaded sigh from the driver’s seat.

“Fuck, Luke, how long?”

Luke glanced up, confused. Alex’s eyes were softer than he had expected in the rearview mirror. Reggie was also starring at him, face scrunched in a pained expression

“How long...?”

“How long have you been doing whatever it is you’re doing with her? What even _are_ you doing with her?”

Luke gaped, cutting his eyes to Reggie who only shook his head as if to say _I didn’t tell him._ Alex whirled around in the driver’s seat to pin him with an incredulous stare.

“Wait, _Reggie_ knew?! Oh my God. Oh my God, the bathroom last week?! That was her?? Luke, what the _hell_ are you doing?”

“I don’t know! I don’t fucking know, I just...it’s not a big deal!”

“Yes, it is. Because this isn’t just some random girl. And you’ve latched onto this whole musician thing, and you’re both gonna end up hurt in the end.”

Luke wasn’t sure if Alex was mad _at_ him or mad _for_ him.

“Look, Lex, it’s nothing, okay? She shows up at the bar and we fight and then we hook up and she leaves. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s _casual_.”

Luke didn’t realize how much he hated that word until he was grinding it out through clenched teeth. Alex and Reggie exchanged a long look before turning to him with identical hopeless expressions on their faces. Luke sunk further down in his seat, shoulders hunched high by his ears as he picked at the skin around his fingernails. He could feel it when Alex sighed again.

“Look, I think this is a terrible idea, and I don’t know why you were both hiding it from everyone, especially because it seems like that was the root cause of your little scene in there, but I won’t go spreading it to Carrie and Flynn since it’s really not my place. And I’ll try and smooth stuff over with them when I get the chance. But, _please,_ try and think about whether this is something you actually want.”

It was the gentle way Alex said it that did Luke in. He glanced up at his friends, suddenly feeling hopeless about the entire situation.

“It doesn’t really matter what I want. This is all she’s offering. And I know you think my whole music sense thing is dumb, but she _is_ a musician and she’s gonna play again. I know she will. She just needs some time and a reason to get out of her own head. If I can be that reason then isn’t that helpful in some way?”

Alex looked away, shaking his head as he started the van and pointed it towards their apartment. Reggie’s hand came down on Luke’s knee, the sensation pulling his gaze towards the bassist’s.

“You know you’re worth more than just being a means to an end right?”

Luke squirmed uncomfortably.

“It’s not like that.”

Reggie gave him a look that clearly communicated he knew it was _exactly_ like that, but thankfully let the topic drop. Even Alex seemed resigned to let Luke dig his own grave on this one. He knew they would have his back in the end, even if they didn’t necessarily support his decisions now.

The thing that they didn’t understand was that Luke already knew the score. He knew he wasn’t the kind of guy Julie would end up with at the end of the day. He was just a moment for her, and yeah, a means to an end. Luke didn’t mind. That’s just how some love stories went. And he would get a killer song out of it in the end, probably. He would be fine.

A quick image of that soft look on Julie’s face in the bathroom earlier, before he had ruined the night, flashed in his mind. He remembered how it felt seeing her after missing her the night before. Like his world was only right when he got to be near her. He shook his head to clear those thoughts. They were casual. He would be fine.

Maybe if he said it enough times he would start to actually believe it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise this is my last chapter being mean to Luke! I really don't even know how he managed to muck this up so badly, this was supposed to be a very different type of scene where he didn't pick on her for once but ya know, our boy just cannot handle being ignored by Julie Molina without acting out in some way.
> 
> Also I definitely will write this as a missing scene from Julie's POV later on because there's a lot happening for her here that Luke has no idea about. I feel like she comes off very hot and cold here and it's definitely not intentional. 
> 
> On a separate note, thank you for all of your comments/kuddos/encouragement! I'm going to try and get better at responding to them all, but please know that they absolutely make me want to keep writing and I reread all of them whenever I am struggling to update. You guys are the best💖


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